Format: Self-paced Course Developed by: LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems Length: 1 hour

This course is designed for teachers, librarians, and parents who are helping beginning readers choose books to read. As professionals we can fine tune this process before it begins, eliminate much of the frustration, and offer the learner appropriate choices that will get them into actually READING books while they still want to, and not after they're too tired to even care anymore! It is based on the Reading Recovery Teacher training in which teachers learn how an appropriate book choice for each daily lesson encourages successful reading. Reading Recovery is a program for early intervention for 1st graders who are at-risk in the area of literacy.

This course will help you:

Identify the interests and curiosities of a young reader by topics, authors and favorites

Assess the reader's reading level for appropriate choices

Choose books by looking at format, structure and language

Introduce a book to a reader to help ensure reading success

Become aware of different types of reading for varying difficulties and fluencies

What do library staff need to know about the basic developmental tasks of early childhood?

How can we use this developmental knowledge to help us more effectively interact with family members in supportive and constructive ways?

This webinar will build upon and expand the conversation begun with our April 10, 2014 webinar, also given by Dr. Hornstein and entitled Foundations of Early Childhood Development: It's All About Relationships. In this second webinar we will review the basic tenets of child development from the Touchpoints perspective - identifying the major developmental tasks of infants, toddlers and preschoolers within the context of their relationships and culture. The discontinuous nature of this developmental process will also be explored. We will then examine how library staff can respond to families by focusing on parent-child relationships, and supporting parental mastery as might occur in various library-based scenarios.

Struggling to infuse creativity into a cramped, quiet or quirky space?

Tired of following powerful literature with cookie cutter crafts?

Confounded by events attended by children 2 to 18 years old?

Think you have to be an artist to engage children in the arts?

As an institution, the library has the power to teach families the joy and meaning derived from the creative process. Yet, too often, after a powerful story, we shut down the opportunity for authentic, individual responses by asking children to mass produce popsicle stick protagonists or glue soaked story props.

Library staff and parents often feel inadequate as artists and pass along their hang ups by safety proofing crafts or spending loads of money for professional artists to lead the workshop. In this webinar, we will rethink what it means to engage children and their families in creativity as we explore play based and process art. You will leave with very concrete ideas about designing a space and an approach that nurtures the artist in each child. As the sole access point to the arts for many families, libraries are a key force in ensuring every child can engage with the world as a creator.

It takes a library to encourage children. Everyone in the library can support, promote and encourage early literacy. This course provides an overview of early literacy and ways library staff can interact with children to encourage singing, talking, reading, writing and playing.

Course Objectives:

Public Service Competencies – Children’s Services

Provide experiences, resources and interactions that fuel a love of learning.

Model and promotes a welcoming, supportive, and nonjudgmental attitude towards children and their families.

Promote awareness of children’s services to other staff members and contributes to their training in relation to the delivery of those services.

When children have regular contact with nature, they learn and grow better. Children who play, build, climb, grow, splash and read are developing their observation, visual-spatial, social, and literacy skills. Nature Explorium, a nature-based program at Middle Country Public Library (NY), encourages children to explore, discover and connect with nature. Learn about best practices and resources that you can use at your library to create outdoor spaces, along with indoor and outdoor nature activities. It's a unique way to connect literacy, learning and appreciation for nature as a regular part of the library visit.

What do librarians need to know about the developmental processes of very young children?

How can we interact with family members in a supportive and constructive manner when these processes enter our settings?

This webinar will orient participants to the Touchpoints approach to child development. The discussion will include identifying the themes of development that operate when parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers bring their children to libraries. We will also examine how libraries can respond to families by focusing on parent-child relationships, and supporting parental mastery.

Can’t decide what type of early literacy technology to add to your library?

This webinar will review the benefits of technology for young children, the types of technology available, and how to incorporate the technology into your library. Find out how libraries can play a role in enhancing early literacy technology experiences and the importance of promoting technology for all ages.

The importance of early childhood education was underscored by President Obama in his most recent State of the Union address: "Study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road." Join us to hear Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, present on a recent report, Growing Young Minds, developed with the Campaign for Grade-level Reading, that highlights the role of libraries in early learning. The report also offers a plan of action for policy makers to build on current research and include libraries in early learning strategies. Attendees will learn about best practices for enhancing reading programs and how to participate in your community’s efforts to address literacy concerns. In addition, Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, will describe the Project’s newly released report about the special role that libraries play in the life of families with children. Attendees will learn what matters to parents about their library experiences with their children, and how library programs and outreach can address those needs.

Join us for a showcase of reading initiatives that will draw readers of all ages to your library. Presenters will share how they plan, promote, and carry out successful summer reading programs, and will discuss year-round efforts that encourage and support lifelong readership in the community. Panelist Melanie A. Lyttle, head of public services at the Madison Public Library in Ohio, will describe her library's use of social media to support their summer reading program, including the famed "Crabby Librarian." Carol Evrard and Jenny Sitzman of Indiana's Spencer County Public Library will speak about their summer reading program; and Janet Ingraham Dwyer, library consultant at the State Library of Ohio, will talk about other successful reading programs in her state including Choose to Read Ohio, a statewide initiative which encourages Ohioans of all ages to read and enjoy books together.

Format: Webinar, original date April 28, 2016Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural & Small LibrariesLength: 1 hour

Youth in grades K-12 spend an astounding 81% of their time in informal learning environments outside of school. Libraries are a locus of informal learning. As the number of STEM related careers continues to multiply, libraries can play a key role in fostering the interest and excitement for STEM learning that may be missing in schools. Through the generous support of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Kitsap Regional Library System (KRL) has developed a ready-to-use system that empowers libraries of all sizes to become community STEM leaders. If you feel like an "accidental STEM librarian" and are wondering how to get started, staff at this semi-rural library system will share fresh ideas and hands-on, practical advice for planning and implementing impactful programs. Learn how to take the lead with informal learning for youth and families in your community.

Format: Self-paced Course Developed by: LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems Length: 1 hour

This course is intended for anyone who works or volunteers in a library and is responsible for planning, developing and delivering story time programs. The course will help you develop successful library story time programs for children of different developmental age groups, and covers planning and preparation, presentation tips and techniques, and sample story time programs.

Ideas to increase strategic partnerships with businesses, corporations, and non-profits?

Then look no further than Pop-Up Storytimes. The most popular program in the library is still storytime. What about taking a time-honored program on the road. Instead of having storytime in the library, you could have it at a bank, a toy store, or a car dealership.

Do you know how to design displays, programs, services, and collections inclusive of these Rainbow Families?

How do you select high-quality children's materials representing Rainbow Families?

Where can you find information about successful children's library programs that welcome Rainbow Families?

This webinar will help library staff establish a basis for understanding the informational and cultural needs of children and adults in Rainbow Families while exploring the best resources for collection development and program planning.

Whether you knew it at the time or not, you have likely interacted with or assisted a library user with autism, as it is the fastest growing disability. This course, designed by experts in both the library and autism fields, is a series of four independent, self-paced instructional modules that are intended for librarians and library staff to learn how to better serve their users on the autism spectrum.

The modules are:

About Autism in the Library

Arranging the Library Environment

Communicating with Individuals with Autism

Interacting with Technology

Research-based checklists, examples of materials, tip sheets, lists, templates, and additional resources are included throughout the course to assist you to implement best practices in your unique library setting.

Whether large or small, rural or urban, all library communities serve patrons with special needs. Developing an awareness of and sensitivity to children with disabilities is crucial for providing top-notch library services. This webinar shares inspiring programming and innovative ideas for new services to target this special population. Learn about what online resources are available for staff to serve children with special needs more fully, and explore strategies to reevaluate and make new accommodations in existing youth programs for an inclusive audience.

STEAM in youth services--programs and services with connections to science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math--has become a particularly hot topic. Many public libraries may find themselves wondering:

What exactly do STEAM programs and services look like?

How does STEAM fit within my library's existing goals and programs?

Can my staff and I offer STEAM without specialized training?

How do we implement STEAM in time for summer reading, as the 2014 Collaborative Summer Library Program theme, Fizz Boom Read, is directly connected to science?

STEAM programs and services for children can take many forms, and every public library can find the right STEAM fit for them. This webinar will explore the topic of STEAM programs and services for children from the bottom up, starting with what STEAM is and what it looks like, to ideas for age-appropriate implementation, to resources for finding and creating your own STEAM programs.

Library practitioners who provide storytimes have a gold mine of ideas to share and questions to ask of each other. Storytime Underground is your online community to connect with peers and enhance your practice. Learn about Storytime University, where you earn digital badges for participating in professional development activities and learning new skills; learn about Guerrilla Storytime and how to host one in your area (spoiler alert: we give you all the tools you need!). Storytime Underground is open and free to anyone interested in storytimes and early literacy, regardless of the level of education or position held. It is created by and for storytime providers everywhere, so join us!

Format: Self-paced CourseDeveloped with: funding from the Institute of Museum and Library ServicesLength: This is a self-directed learning experience. There are five modules within this course, each with a 1-hour archive recording.

You already provide great storytimes. Supercharge your practice to make them even better.

Access this course to:

Learn more about the Supercharged Storytimes online orientation, originally offered to more than 500 library staff members in six states in 2015;

What's the best way to bring technology into a storytime? How do you evaluate apps for early literacy?

Everyday there are new apps and technologies being made available to young children. Libraries are integrating technology into children's programming, including storytimes and other early literacy services. When used correctly, technology can be used to increase early literacy skills in young children.

This free webinar shares best practices, resources, and ideas to help you easily and effectively bring technology to your library's early literacy programming. We hear from two guests with expertise in early literacy and childhood education.

More and more preschools, childcare centers, libraries, and community-based organizations that support the parents of children birth to five are turning to technology to enhance their engagement with families. A plethora of texting programs, video coaching tools, apps, and early literacy devices are now available to help families support their young children's development. But which are the best tools to use for your program?

In this webinar, we will:

share the latest research on the technology habits of millennial parents

discuss how program providers can incorporate technology tools to engage modern families

provide an overview of some of the leading early learning platforms available

This webinar, presented by the Early Learning Lab, is the first in a series of four webinars on technology for the early childhood education field. The Early Learning Lab is partnering with the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, New America, Frontiers of Innovation, TechSoup and New Profit to produce this series.

Is conducting storytime the favorite part of your job – but also the task in which you feel “burned out?” If so, this webinar will give you ideas to refresh your storytimes with new books to engage your audience. Whether you are relatively new or a longtime storytime presenter, everyone will take away storytime plans, booklists, and resources to revitalize this essential library program.